Daddy is too Strong-Chapter 299

Cheol-Soo had been troubled by one thing lately. On the calendar sitting on his desk, a red circle marked June 15, Monday.

“Haaah...” He let out a long sigh as he stared at the date.

It was the day of the “Hunter Rank Evaluation” and also the “Contract Expiration Date”—the day when the contracts of the Hunters affiliated with City Hall would officially end.

“Arghhhh!” His desperate wail echoed through the otherwise quiet office.

His colleagues, like a group of meerkats, peeked their heads up over their desks to glance in his direction. For a moment, they wondered if something had happened.

But soon, they all thought in unison, Ah, it’s that time again.

Remembering that June 15 was right around the corner, they simply went back to their work.

Meanwhile, Park Jong-Min, the Section Chief of the Management Unit, was lazily browsing the news on his phone when he said in a detached tone, “Chief Kang, just let it go. This happens every year. Shouldn’t you be used to it by now?”

“You think I’m Buddha or something? How am I supposed to ‘let things go’? Ugh, why don’t you take my position instead? I’ll take over as the Management Section Chief. Who knows, maybe my hair will even grow back if I switch jobs.”

Feigning an urgent phone call, Jong-Min quickly escaped into the hallway.

Slumping back into his chair, Cheol-Soo scowled at his monitor. The screen displayed the list of contract Hunters along with their ranks. Seoul City Hall currently oversaw fifty Hunters, the maximum number allowed under the Seoul City Contract Hunter Management bylaw.

A few months ago, that number had made him smile. But now, it only felt like pressure.

How many will leave this time? That was the only thought that consumed him.

It was obvious that any Hunter whose rank increased would terminate their contract. Even a single rank-up meant their market value would skyrocket. Why would they stay in a low-paying city job when they could make much more elsewhere?

All he could do was pray. I hope their ranks stay the same.

If they remained at their current ranks, the chances of re-signing would be much higher.

Still, who would have thought we’d have fifty Hunters?

Remembering that they only had six Hunters just two years ago, Cheol-Soo let out a bitter chuckle.

Things had gradually improved, and this year, for the first time, they had a full roster. A remarkable improvement. Of course, once the evaluations were over, they’d leave in droves, making that number feel like nothing more than an illusion.

He straightened his posture. Compared to the past, things had gotten much better. There was no need to be so discouraged. He stretched his arms above his head.

“By the way, where’s Do-Jun?” he asked Hyuk-Soo.

“Oh, I forgot to mention. He’s out giving consultations.”

“For whom?”

“The Hunters. He should be in the training room right now,” Hyuk-Soo said.

“Consultations again?”

It was strange. Recently, more and more Hunters had been seeking out Do-Jun. Whenever they came for a “consultation,” Do-Jun welcomed them warmly and took them to the training room. No one knew exactly what went on in there.

***

For an entire week, Do-Jun visited the training room every day without fail. Contracted Hunters kept seeking him out for consultations. With the rank evaluation approaching, the number of requests only increased.

“Supervisor Lee, do you really think I can challenge C-rank?” asked a Hunter.

“Yes. If you push yourself, you might even be able to go for B-rank. Remember when we explored that Fissure together? You took down two trolls on your own. You should be more confident in yourself.”

Recalling the moment he defeated the trolls, the Hunter scratched his head shyly. Honestly, it still didn’t feel real. Just seven months ago, Hyung Sang-Min had struggled to take down a single orc. But since then, his progress had skyrocketed.

“How did I even manage to take down trolls? I’m just an E-rank Hunter...” he said in disbelief.

“You’ve worked hard, and that’s why you’re seeing results. Keep going, and you’ll get even stronger. Oh, by the way, Hunter Bae Young-Hoon, how have you been? I feel like I haven’t checked in on you lately,” Do-Jun commented.

“M-me? Oh...” Bae Young-Hoon swallowed nervously.

A few days ago, he had made a significant contribution to a B-rank Great Fissure raid. A year ago, he never would have imagined participating in a B-rank Great Fissure raid—not just as a porter but as a tanker. His growth was so dramatic that even his peers were astounded, constantly asking what his secret was.

“I feel like I’ve gotten a lot stronger,” he answered.

“I’m glad to hear that. It looks like you’ve fully adapted to using a shield now. I always thought both of you had the talent to rise quickly,” Do-Jun said.

The idea of “hard work leading to rewards” was partly true. However, effort alone couldn’t explain how an E-rank Hunter could suddenly take down trolls or make a significant contribution in a B-rank Great Fissure within a year.

Seriously... how is this even happening? Many Hunters had wondered this same thing.

They all ultimately reached the same conclusion: their rapid growth was because of Do-Jun.

At first, they had been skeptical, but Do-Jun provided them with roadmaps, which were essentially detailed strategies tailored to their abilities. When he explored Fissures with them, he provided precise advice that they initially dismissed.

What does a civil servant know about being a Hunter?

However, over time, they realized the truth: this man just knew. He knew exactly what steps they needed to take to reach the next level.

If Do-Jun said something was possible, then it was. If he said it wasn’t, then it wasn’t. Even the ridiculous rumor that it was all thanks to Do-Jun that Ye-Ji went from F-rank to S-rank didn’t seem so ridiculous anymore.

“Supervisor Lee.”

“Yes?”

“Can... can I just bury my bones here? Please tell me I can stay.” Desperate eyes stared at him.

It wasn’t the first time he’d seen that look. Do-Jun sighed, shaking his head.

“As you know, I’m not the one who makes those decisions. Our section chief is in charge of all personnel matters.”

The two Hunters exchanged glances, hopeful and determined.

Do-Jun had seen that look many times before. He smirked slightly.

***

“Do-Jun, I heard you were giving consultations again?” Cheol-Soo asked as Do-Jun entered the office.

“Yes, I spoke with Hunter Hyung Sang-Min and Hunter Bae Young-Hoon.”

“What exactly do you consult them on? They never ask me a thing.”

“They ask about different things, mostly about improving their abilities. I gather relevant information and provide it accordingly,” Do-Jun replied.

“That’s strange. Hunters are usually too proud to ask a civil servant for advice on that.”

Do-Jun picked up the large stack of paperwork on his desk, a total of thirty-two sheets. They were all Hunter Rank Evaluation Applications.

Every Hunter was required to undergo a rank evaluation once a year. Given the sheer number of applicants, evaluations were conducted quarterly. This quarter, thirty-two Hunters contracted to Seoul City Hall were scheduled to take their exams in the second session.

He organized the data into an Excel sheet in the following order: Name, Date of Birth, Address, Rank History... and finally, the Target Rank.

That’s quite a lot, Do-Jun thought, looking at the spreadsheet.

Five Hunters were aiming for A-rank, fifteen were going for B-rank, and twelve were challenging C-rank. That meant all of them were aiming for at least a C-rank.

If they all passed, Seoul City Hall’s Fissure Management Division would see a drastic boost in its resources. One S-rank Hunter, ten A-ranks, and a whopping twenty-one B-ranks—at this point, their combat ability could rival a top ten guild.

This would be serious firepower.

With that in mind, Do-Jun drafted the Hunter Rank Evaluation Review Proposal.

***

“Hahaha.” Cheol-Soo laughed as if the world had gone crazy.

He had opened the Excel file attached to the Rank Evaluation Review Proposal and slowly scrolled through it, his expression shifting to sheer disbelief.

Something felt off. Do-Jun wasn’t the type to make typos.

“Five A-rank applicants, fifteen B-rank, twelve C-rank? Are they out of their minds?” Cheol-Soo snapped.

Either all the Hunters had gone insane, or Do-Jun’s fingers had. It had to be one of the two.

If they had simply applied for one rank higher than their current one, he would’ve shrugged and approved it. But this? This was absurd.

“What the hell is this...? Why is an E-rank trying for a B-rank?”

Even more baffling was the C-rank Hunters applying straight for A-rank.

Cheol-Soo pressed his fingers against his temples before looking at the screen again. But no matter how many times he checked, the letters didn’t change.

“Do-Jun,” he said.

“Yes, chief?”

“Is this real?”

“If you’re talking about the target ranks, then yes, they are accurate,” Do-Jun replied.

“I mean, sure, I guess applications don’t have rank requirements, but... hah...”

Just as Cheol-Soo was about to hit the approval button, a Hunter walked into the office. Recognizing Bae Young-Hoon, Cheol-Soo immediately sprang to his feet, putting on his best, most welcoming smile.

“Aha, Hunter Bae! Welcome, welcome! You’re not scheduled for an exploration today... what brings you here?”

Bae Young-Hoon entered, carrying a large envelope under his arm. “I have something to discuss.”

Cheol-Soo tensed up.

Bae Young-Hoon had been contracted with Seoul City Hall for the past two years. However, when he was promoted from F-rank to E-rank last year, he had mentioned wanting to terminate his contract. At the time, Cheol-Soo had practically begged him to stay.

“What would you like to discuss...?” Cheol-Soo asked.

“It’s about my contract with Seoul City Hall.”

Cheol-Soo’s eyes started twitching. So, the time had finally come.

“Uh... should we move to the conference room?” he asked.

“Yes, that would be best.”

Acting quickly, Cheol-Soo rushed to the break room to grab coffee before heading into the conference room. Placing the coffee in front of Bae Young-Hoon, he couldn’t take his eyes off the envelope.

Well, I guess I saw it coming. He let out an internal sigh.

Bae Young-Hoon had already stated last year that he wouldn’t be renewing his contract. There was no use trying to stop him now.

With a bitter smile, Cheol-Soo finally asked, “It’s about the contract, isn’t it?”

“Yes, Chief. It is.”

A brief silence filled the room.

Bae Young-Hoon took a sip of coffee with slightly trembling hands, then pulled out a single sheet of paper from the envelope.

“I... would like to extend my contract.”

“Of course, I knew you’d want to termin—excuse me, what?” Cheol-Soo froze.

“I... really want to dedicate myself here. You know, bury my bones here.”

“You... want to what?”

“I spoke with Supervisor Lee, and he mentioned that you, Chief, approve contract renewals. So... I am here to formally request it.”

“You’re saying you want to renew...?” Cheol-Soo asked in disbelief.

“Yes. But of course, I wouldn’t expect you to approve it for nothing. If I pass the B-rank evaluation, I hope you’ll consider my request favorably.”

Cheol-Soo was at a loss for words.

A Hunter was offering to become B-rank just to stay on contract?

What is going on?

Bae Young-Hoon watched his expression carefully. Seeing no immediate response, he quickly added, “I—I’ll do anything if you extend my contract!”

“N-no, that’s not what... What...?” Cheol-Soo was once again shocked.

“I’ll clean the office every morning! I’ll run coffee errands!”

“Look, Hunter Bae—”

“I’ll work for free!”

Cheol-Soo pinched his own cheek.